In the old life of rural England few things are more
interesting than the ancient sports and pastimes,
the strange superstitions, and curious customs which
existed in the times of our forefathers. We remember
that our land once rejoiced in the name of “Merry
England,” and perhaps feel some regret that
many of the outward signs of happiness have passed
away from us, and that in striving to become a great
and prosperous nation, we have ceased to be a genial,
contented, and happy one. In these days new manners
are ever pushing out the old. The restlessness
of modern life has invaded the peaceful retirement
of our villages, and railway trains and cheap excursions
have killed the old games and simple amusements which
delighted our ancestors in days of yore. The old
traditions of the country-side are forgotten, and
poor imitations of town manners have taken their place.
Old social customs which added such diversity to the
lives of the rustics two centuries ago have died out.
Very few of the old village games and sports have
survived. The village green, the source of so
much innocent happiness, is no more; and with it has
disappeared much of that innocent and light-hearted
cheerfulness which brightened the hours of labour,
and refreshed the spirit of the toiling rustic, when
his daily task was done. Times have changed,
and we have changed with them. We could not now
revive many of the customs and diversions in which
our fathers took delight. Serious and grave men
no longer take pleasure in the playthings which pleased
them when they were children; and our nation has become
grave and serious, and likes not the simple joys which
diversified the lives of our forefathers, and made
England “merry.”

Is it possible that we cannot restore some of these
time-honoured customs? The sun shines as brightly
now as ever it did on a May-day festival; the Christmas
fire glows as in olden days. Let us try to revive
the spirit which animated their festivals. Let
us endeavour to realize how our village forefathers
used to enjoy themselves, how they used to spend their
holidays, and to picture to ourselves the scenes of
social intercourse which once took place in our own
hamlets. Every season of the year had its holiday
customs and quaint manner of observance, some of them
confined to particular counties, but many of them
universally observed.